Part Two

As a Gryffindor, Rose Weasley was supposed to be courageous.

She thought over this quite a lot one surprisingly warm morning in early March was she prepared and then ate her breakfast. It was a Saturday, and so she had off from work—a spot at the Daily Prophet she'd transferred to in early July. During her entire meal she mused over what it meant to be brave and how she apparently was a coward.

She was, after all, terrified of a simple little journal.

It was not until after she was finished her morning routine that Rose decided to get over her long withstanding fear. She'd avoided the journal for seven months, and it was time to stop being so ridiculous.

She marched over to her nightstand, tour open the top drawer, and withdrew her diary from it. She flipped to the nearest clean page, and began to write.

I'm completely ridiculous! It's been over for seven months! SEVEN MONTHS! It's time to pick yourself up, Rose Weasley. You were only together for two months! You've seen plenty of men for longer amounts of time! Plenty of men who didn't get women they didn't love pregnant! From here on out, I vow to never, ever think of Scorpius Malfoy again!

When she was done, she let out a calming breath and smiled down at the page before putting away her quill, letting the ink dry, and shutting the journal.

It was then that a loud crash came from her living room, sounding of metal on stone.

Startled, Rose jumped up and ran towards the living room, her socks slipping on the linoleum of her kitchen floor on the way. She reached the living room to see a man climbing out of her fireplace. He took a moment to right himself and completely forgot about brushing the soot off of his rather fine-looking pinstriped trousers. Still, even half bent-over, Rose recognized him.

So much for never thinking about him.

"Scorpius!" Rose exclaimed, rushing to his side. "What are you doing here?" She helped him to stand up straight and met his bloodshot eyes. It was then that the smell hit her. "Oh my God, did you just take a bath in liquor?"

Scorpius laughed. "Something like that…"

She helped him to her couch, wondering why he'd shown up at her place. Perhaps it had been a drunken whim, though she wondered why he was drunk this early in the day, or perhaps he'd had difficulty speaking clearly as a result and the Floo Network had delivered him to the wrong spot. She remembered that he'd always been a rather clearheaded drunk, though, for she'd seen him on plastered on many occasions during their Hogwarts years, Head Boy or not, as well as twice during their short relationship. She wondered what he was doing here and asked him just that as she plopped down beside him.

"Sometime between my first drink about twelve hours ago and right this minute," Scorpius murmured, "I realized I've made a horrible mistake."

Rose jumped up from the couch and pointed an accusatory finger Scorpius. "Oh no," she chimed. "You are not doing this to me! Of course you made a mistake—but I am not taking you back!"

Scorpius cradled his head in his hands and rubbed his face before looking up at her. "That's not what I'm saying, Rose. What I'm saying is…you know, I should've said fuck society and just…just stayed with you."

Rose shook her head. "Oh, no, that's not true!" She sat down beside him once more and wanted to put her hand on his back but didn't dare to, for touching him would mean that he was real and alive and in her apartment, which she could not particularly handle right now, even though she was managing quite fine at the moment. "You did the noble thing, Scorpius!"

He scoffed and looked up at her. "Since when have I ever been noble, Rose?"

She nodded. "That's true…"

Scorpius returned his head to his hands, from where he murmured, "Myrtle had her child last night."

"C-congratulations," Rose sputtered, suddenly feeling incredibly uncomfortable. At first she wanted to admonish Scorpius for leaving his wife and newborn son at home, but then she realized something wasn't right. Nine months, she thought to herself. The baby should have been born in February, at the latest…

She sprang up once more, rage boiling through her. "Oh no. No, you leave now!" She pointed at Scorpius who gazed up at her. A sudden realization seemed to wash over him but she didn't question it as he jumped up. "You get out of here!" He moved towards her and grabbed onto her, and she tried to push him off of her, but he was stronger than her and she failed. His cries were drowned out by the blood pounding through her ears. "Leave!" she screamed, but after he refused to let go she finally calmed down and silently seethed, glaring up at him. He lied. He slept with her while we were together…

"That's not it. Rose, you have it all wrong," Scorpius said, and his voice seemed slow and unnatural as he said it. "She…the child…it's not mine."

Rose pulled out of his now relaxed grasp and turned away from him. She bit her thumb, trying to force back any excess tears, and when she felt composed enough faced him. "Then whose is it, Scorpius?"

Scorpius let out a sigh and began pacing, as he always did when feeling any extreme sort of emotion. He leaned against the wall before saying, "Bentley Zabini's."

"H…how do you know?" Rose asked, remembering the older boy from her years at Hogwarts.

Scorpius shrugged. "Al came and saw me early autumn."

"Al…?" Rose asked. "What's he…?"

Scorpius continued. "He said he'd run into Zabini, who was apparently very put off by my marriage to Myrtle. He'd been seeing her for a while before our marriage was announced." Scorpius looked up at Rose. "I didn't know what to think when Al first told me…and then when she was a week late, then two and she refused to see a Healer. Well, I didn't push her to." He looked up at Rose and the pain in his eyes was too much for her to bear. She left the living area and made her way to the dining room and kitchen, where she leaned up against a kitchen counter. He followed her and leaned against her dining table. "I knew it wasn't my child. Then when he was born last night…well, it was obvious."

"I'm so sorry," Rose murmured.

Scorpius let out a soft noise that sounded like a snort. "No, don't be," he muttered. "You see, I would have loved that boy, if he was mine…and I think I would have before he was born, had I not been so doubtful." Rose sensed him looking at her and she nervously met his gaze. "But then…well, I would have been a good father to that boy, and I know it but there was only ever one woman I wanted to have a family with. This all was a blessing, if I think about it." He paused and Rose noted his eyes becoming moist. "But I'm still angry…so angry. At me more than I am at Myrtle." He cleared his throat and said, "I've wasted seven months, Rose—seven months I could have had with you."

Rose let out a sob and ran towards him, taking him in her arms. He hugged her back, smoothing over her hair again and again. She wanted desperately to do more than innocently hug him, to comfort him in ways beyond words and friendly gestures, but she could not bring herself to.

He was drunk, though, and his inhibitions were lacking so he leaned down and rested his face in the crook of her neck, kissing her there. The memory of his lips against her skin was too much for her and she threw her head back. In a moment, he had her leaning against the counter and his hands were already up the back of her shirt, his fingers pressed against her spine. She wanted to kiss him, but pushed him away. "You're drunk," she choked out.

Scorpius nodded. "That's true. If you are put off by my appearance, I completely understand. However, if you worry that I am doing something reckless or regrettable, then I no longer wonder why the Sorting Hat didn't put you in Ravenclaw, for you should know that I will never, ever regret wanting you…loving you…"

He kissed her then, and she immediately acquiesced, until his tongue slipped into her mouth, tasting of some sweet liquor, reminding her of his state once more. She pulled away. "We've already covered that I'm drunk," he reminded her.

"But you're married," she emphasized.

Scorpius shook his head. "I sent an owl to my lawyers this morning, and they're a very efficient lot. I consider myself to be separated right now and I suspect I'll have the divorce papers in a few days." Still, he stepped away from Rose. "But I understand. Just…I want you to know, I'll be here. Whenever you're ready for me, even if I have to wait until the end of the world."

He headed towards the fireplace but she stopped him, grabbing onto the sleeve of his dress shirt. "Just…just give me some time, alright?" She kissed him on the lips and pulled away and was immediately warmed by the mixture of hunger and love in his eyes.

"I love you," he said before stepping away. He picked up her bag of floo powder and tossed some into the fireplace. "Malfoy Manor," he called, and she was immediately reminded of the scene he would face when there. She wondered what would become of Myrtle, of her son.

But then she realized what he had just said. I love you.

"I love you too," she called in response, just in time for Scorpius to disappear.